After a lengthy period of wrangling last Thursday, a majority of MLAs on the Stormont agriculture committee voted in favour of the target set in a second draft climate change bill for NI to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 82% by 2050.

That second bill is the one taken forward by DAERA Minister Edwin Poots on behalf of the Stormont Executive. It is due to complete committee stage by 28 January, before returning to the Stormont chamber for potential amendments.

The alternate piece of legislation, led by Green party leader Clare Bailey, which would commit NI to a net zero GHG target by 2045, completed committee stage at the end of 2021, but is yet to come back to all MLAs for debate.

With Stormont due to dissolve at the end of March, ahead of May elections, how this all will play out in the weeks ahead remains very unclear.

This bill doesn’t have a net zero target. I am sure I won’t be supporting that

The vote last Thursday was necessary because there wasn’t full agreement across the committee on each of the clauses contained in the Executive climate change bill. That difference of opinion will be reflected in the committee’s report to accompany the bill to the next legislative stage.

“This bill doesn’t have a net zero target. I am sure I won’t be supporting that,” said north Antrim Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan. He, along with party colleague Declan McAleer and Green MLA Clare Bailey voted against the clause.

That left unionist members, along with the SDLP’s Patsy McGlone and Alliance MLA John Blair in support of the 82% target contained within this particular bill.

However, McGlone had wanted the vote delayed for a further week, expressing concern about amended text that now includes a target for NI to achieve net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. That target for carbon dioxide is actually in line with advice from the UK climate change committee (CCC).

The 82% target set by the CCC reflects the fact that NI can cut carbon dioxide to zero, but not methane released by cattle and sheep.

McGlone was joined in wanting the vote delayed by Clare Bailey, who requested that legal advice is sought on what issues might arise for NI if it is the only part of these islands that does not have a net zero emissions target. “We will be a place apart,” she suggested.

Read more

Climate expert urges lower methane target

Our future is in MLA hands – UFU